On November 2, The New York Times headlined "No Morsel Too Minuscule for All-Consuming NSA."

It wants nothing escaping scrutiny. Privacy no longer exists.

"Mr. Obama and top intelligence officials have defended the agency's role in preventing terrorist attacks."

"But as the documents make clear, the focus on counterterrorism is a misleadingly narrow sales pitch for an agency with an almost unlimited agenda. Its scale and aggressiveness are breathtaking."

No amount spent is too much if "it adds to the agency's global phone book."

"The agency, using a combination of jawboning, stealth and legal force, has turned the nation's Internet and telecommunications companies into collection partners, installing filters in their facilities, serving them with court orders, building back doors into their software and acquiring keys to break their encryption."

Rule of law principles don't matter. Anything goes is policy. Everything transmitted electronically is fair game for intrusion.

Britain operates the same way. On November 3, London's Guardian published an open letter to Prime Minister David Cameron. Dozens of human rights groups signed it. In part, it said:

"We have joined together as an international coalition of free speech, media freedom and human rights organisations because we believe that the United Kingdom government's response to the revelations of mass surveillance of digital communications is eroding fundamental human rights in the country."

"The government's response has been to condemn, rather than celebrate, investigative journalism, which plays a crucial role in a healthy democratic society."

"We are alarmed at the way in which the UK government has reacted, using national security legislation against those who have helped bring this public interest information to global attention."

It doesn't surprise. Der Spiegel revealed a similar NSA operation. More from Der Spiegel below.

Edward Snowden released documents show how NSA and GCHQ cooperatively engage in global spying. They do it from embassies and other diplomatic buildings worldwide. It's no secret.

According to The Independent:

"An American intercept 'nest' on top of its embassy in Berlin - less than 150 metres from Britain's own diplomatic mission - is believed to have been shut down last week as the US scrambled to limit the damage from revelations that it listened to mobile phone calls made by Chancellor Angela Merkel."

Britain's Berlin "listening station will test relations between London and" Germany at the time of an uproar over monitoring Merkel.

"If GCHQ runs a listening post on the top of the UK's Berlin embassy, it is clearly targeting politicians and journalists," he said.

"Do these people pose a threat? The EU has asked David Cameron's Government to explain the activities of GCHQ in Europe but it has declined to do so, saying it does not comment on activities in the interest of national security."

"This is hardly in the spirit of European co-operation. We are not enemies." Cameron's spokesman declined to comment.

Henry L. Stimson was an early-mid 20th century US diplomat/politician.

He once said "Gentlemen don't read each other's mail." He said it long before modern technology. He couldn't have imagined what's routine today.

According to a Snowden released documents, NSA closed some of its Special Collection Service (SCS) operations.

It transferred them to GCHQ. Documents The Independent obtained show NSA and GCHQ use "equipment hidden within the fabric of diplomatic buildings."

Small numbers of personnel run it. They operate under diplomatic cover. Most of their colleagues don't know their "true mission."

Aerial photos of Britain's Berlin embassy are revealing. They show a "potential eavesdropping base."

It's located "inside a white, cylindrical tent-like structure." It can't easily be seen from streets below. It's been in place since 2000.

It's able to intercept cell phone calls, wi-fi data, and long distance communications from across Berlin.

Government buildings like the Reichstag and Chancellery are vulnerable. So is virtually any targeted location throughout the capital.

NSA and GCHQ use similar technologies. "Collection equipment on a building is concealed so as not to reveal SIGINT (signals intelligence) activity...antennas are sometimes hidden in false architectural features or roof maintenance sheds."

The Independent said similar spying operations made earlier headlines.